For much of his life, Andrew felt secure in his faith and direction. Raised in a large, loving family with strong moral values and “amazing parents who practiced what they preached,” he believed in God and was involved with his church. But when hidden sin caught up with him, everything unraveled.
Convicted and sentenced to 20 years in prison, Andrew came face-to-face with the consequences of his actions. “I am 100% guilty of the crimes I was convicted of,” he admitted. “I did this to myself. Worse yet, I caused those I love the most to suffer even more.” He lost his wife, his four sons, his business, and his standing in the community.
Yet even in the wreckage of his old life, something unexpected began to take root.
“I’ve now been incarcerated for seven years. I’ve learned so much. I’ve built my own testimony in my Savior and His Gospel,” he said. “Honestly, I’m not sure I could give up this experience for anything . . . It has become a mission—a college.”
In prison, Andrew began to wrestle with his faith in a way he never had before. “For most of my life, I lived off of my parents’ testimonies and beliefs. Since coming to prison, I’ve had to start over,” he shared. The isolation, the silence, and the pain gave him the space to listen to God. And in that stillness, Andrew found peace and purpose: “I now feel like my testimony is truly mine, no longer just my parents’. I love this Gospel, and I love sharing it even more.”
That’s when he found Crossroads.
Introduced to the Bible study mentorship program by another man at his facility, Andrew says, “Crossroads has been a huge help in my journey of bettering myself. I learn so much every day by applying what I learn with others here in my pod.” He treasures the spiritual encouragement from his mentors and the chance to dive deeper into Scripture: “I love having conversations about the Gospel and the Scriptures. Crossroads helps make my prison experience a place of peace, joy, and learning.”
Even as he grieves the loss of his relationship with his family and mourns his late mother, Andrew holds on to hope. “God has blessed me, helped me find humility, and never abandoned me. He is the reason I am alive and at peace.”
You can be a part of stories like Andrew’s.
Crossroads mentors walk alongside men and women in prison, offering hope, encouragement, and biblical guidance through every season. Will you answer the call?
Become a Crossroads mentor today and help someone discover that their story isn’t over. Learn more and sign up at cpministries.org/mentor.
Did you know that Crossroads recently released a new course, The Church Inside the Fence, that is meant to equip students like Andrew who are serving longer prison sentences to live out their faith behind bars? Learn more about our new curriculum.